Not Possible To Build An NHS For The Future Without Fixing Social Care Prime Minister Says
Fixing social care must be part of any plan to build an NHS for the future, the Prime Minister has said, but is a speech failed to provide to give further detail on the Government’s plans for the sector.
The Prime Ministers comments follow a major review of the health service branded the state of social care as “dire” and noted the “profound human cost and economic consequences” of a long under-resourced area of healthcare.
The report by independent peer Lord Darzi, published last week, is focused on the NHS but said a growing gap between people’s needs and those getting publicly funded social care in England is placing “an increasingly large burden on families and on the NHS”.
When questioned about timings for major reform of social care the Prime minister declined to give detail other than repeating Labour’s “ambition” to have a National Care Service.
He said he wants such a service to be created “as consensually as possible” and with cross-party involvement.
Addressing a conference hosted by The King’s Fund, the Prime Minister said:
“We want that national service. We will start with the staff and build up from there with a vehicle for the consensus that we need.
“But the challenge is absolutely right. We have to fix social care because I don’t think it’s possible to build an NHS for the future if we don’t fix social care as we do it. And that makes the challenge greater.
“But the point of this report and the 10-year plan really is to look beyond just the NHS itself and broaden it out, and social care is obviously part of that 10-year plan.”
Sir Kier also indicated that a reference to capping care costs will be included in the 10-year plan but warned that such a measure must be “deliverable”.
Upon taking office Chancellor Rachel Reeves said in a speech on public finances that previously delayed adult social care charging reforms will not be taken forward.
The decision not to proceed in October 2025 with the charging reforms, including an £86,000 lifetime cap on the amount anyone in England has to spend on their personal care is expected to save a projected £1 billion by the end of that year, the Government has said.
Sarah Woolnough, Chief Executive of The King’s Fund, said:
‘Although the Prime Minister presented a starkly honest assessment of the state of health and care in England, both patients and those working in health and care services will take some hope from the Prime Minister’s promise of bold action.”
‘While the NHS often grabs the headlines, we know England’s ailing social care services are also in desperate need of reform, so it was encouraging to hear the Prime Minister confirm that the adult social care sector will feature in the government’s upcoming 10-year health plan.
‘Having set out the diagnosis, the government now needs to develop a detailed strategy for reform. That plan will need to model how greater investment in primary and community services will be implemented. It must also describe how ministers will embrace a truly cross-government approach to improving the nation’s health.’
